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Do you have health insurance? I do. But according to a new study, more than a quarter of American adults are not so lucky.

In 2011, 26 percent of Americans were uninsured for some period of time, according to a study by the Commonwealth Fund. Furthermore, nearly 7 in 10 of these individuals were uninsured for a year or more.

Many of these uninsured individuals tried to purchase health coverage through the individual market, but found it costly and difficult to navigate. Forty-five percent ended up without a health plan. Uninsured individuals are more likely to skip necessary medical care and much less likely to keep up with preventative care, which can negatively impact their health and lead to higher health costs, according to the study.

As you may have predicted, Common Wealth Fund concluded that the coverage gaps will be reduced if the Supreme Court upholds the health care reform law and allows it to proceed.

What do you think? Will health care reform lead to a healthier, insured population? Will it reduce health costs?

If the health care reform law is not the answer, what do you propose the government can do to curb escalating health costs? Does the health care system need an overhaul?

The views expressed here are those of the author and not necessarily those of ProducersWEB.

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